Are You Living The Abundant Life?
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

-John 10:10 AMP



The writers of the amplified version of the bible translate abundant life as life that is “to the full, till it overflows.” This abundant life is what Jesus came for and if we are settling for anything less, we need to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). Imagine being the heir to an ocean front palace and choosing to live in a rundown shack. Far too many of us genuinely give our hearts to the Lord and never experience the full measure of His natural or spiritual blessings.


I remember a season when I was living in a state of ‘limited belief’ and not fully trusting God to take care of me. I was sitting in a local car dealership waiting for the mechanics to finish servicing my car. While waiting I picked up a magazine, and an ad nearly jumped out at me. It said:

“Why settle for the tortilla, when you can have the whole enchilada.”

The message spoke to me loudly and clearly. I was saying yes to everything God was telling me to do at church, at work, and at home, all the while doubting that He could and would actually take care of me.

More Bills Than Bucks
Three days prior to this I felt led to gather all of my current bills and assemble an organized list of what required immediate attention and what could wait. I put my little personal accounts payable package in a gallon size Zip Lock bag and went on about my day. About an hour later a relative called and told me to bring him all of my bills because he was going to help me to pay them. During that visit he wrote checks for most of my outstanding debts, then followed me to the dealership and instructed the clerk to fix everything on my car and give him the bill.

When I came to pick up my car three days later, I had to wait. Instead of focusing on the blessing, I was focusing on the waiting. Instead of rejoicing that the bill was paid in full, I was fretting about the unreasonably high costs of having the repairs done at the dealership. Instead of resting in God’s goodness, I was worrying about getting to my next destination on time. I had to learn on that day that limited belief produces unlimited grief and Jesus came that I might have an abundance of peace. His peace was there for the taking; it was part of my inheritance as a child of the most high God, but I was missing it. I was settling for the tortilla when I could have had the whole enchilada. That abundance of peace is ours when we obey the instructions found in the Bible in Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4:6,7. God keeps us in perfect peace when we keep our mind on Him, resist anxiety, and ask for what we need with thanksgiving in our hearts.


You can live a life where you are thankful in every circumstance and consistently focused on Jesus. There is a song I remember from back in the day that says “ I woke up this morning with my mind, stayed on Jesus, Hallelujah!” That simple truth is a key to a life overflowing with abundance.

Why Settle for the Tortilla?

When You Can Have The Whole Enchilada!

Just A Little Relief Please!

God made another key real to me one night when I felt sick enough to die. I was in so much pain that even the sheets hurt when they touched my skin. I had been to the emergency room, taken the prescribed medication but it was not bringing any relief at all. It was on a Sunday night and I had been prayed for in church that morning, but the pain remained unbearable. I could not sleep and tears were rolling down my cheeks. Just when I thought I was going to lose my sanity, it hit my mind to praise.

Under my breath I felt myself saying Hallelujah. It was barely loud enough for me to hear but I said it. Then I said it again. A few weak ‘thank you Jesus’ followed and before long I was caught up and thanking the Lord for the body parts that were not hurting. As I began to praise, I lost recollection of the pain. I was much too busy praising my God. That praise became first a remedy, and then an overflowing joy that flooded my soul and soon lulled me to sleep.

God gave me a real and practical understanding that night of the fullness of joy that comes from being in His presence. My praise in the midst of my pain took me into the presence of the Lord just like the psalmist says in Psalm 16:11. That overflowing joy is another key to the abundant life in Christ and it too is ours for the taking when we obey God’s Word. Palms 100:4 says we “enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.” Psalm 22:3 says God inhabits the praises of His people. Without a doubt the presence of the Lord has now become my favorite dwelling place. Psalm 140:13 says “surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.”

 
A Change Gone Come
Righteousness is the final and core key to achieving the abundant life. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I was a drunk given the nickname “Bud” after the brand of beer Budweiser. I was known for never leaving home without my beer. I was the president of a church choir at the time, perpetrating a fraud and praying no one would find out. The awesome thing about the Lord is that He didn’t care what condition I was in. He died on the cross, broke free from the grave, rose with all power and then came knocking on the door to my heart as if I were someone special. I remember throwing my hands in the air with tears in my eyes saying I am so sorry. I believe in you, Lord Jesus, and I invite you to please come and live in my heart. And He did just that. He came into my heart forgiving me, loving me, accepting me and calling me His own. The miraculous thing is that He took the taste of alcohol out of my mouth completely. I gave up the right to do things my way that Monday night and the Lord gave me a robe of righteousness just like in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 16:22). That robe is a gift that covers me and reminds me that I have some royal rights and some royal responsibilities, I have a right to all of the benefits due an heir and a child of the King (John 1:12). I also have the responsibility to represent the King well (2 Corinthians 5:20), and to obey whatever He commands. (Jeremiah 7:23, John 15:10). Having now accepted Him, I am an heir (Galatians 3:29) and I can live in that mansion with abundant righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).

I refuse to settle for the tortilla when I can have the whole enchilada. What about you? If you haven’t invited Jesus Christ to come into your heart, you can invite him right now. All you need to do is say is the following prayer to Him:

Dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins. I believe you died on the cross and rose for me. Please come and live inside my heart and be my Lord and Savior forever. Thank you for coming so I might have an abundant life. Amen

Congratulations and welcome into the family of God! Wherever you are, don’t miss the blessing of assembling yourself with other believers in a church where the word of God is taught and people are encouraged to live the abundant life (Hebrews 10:25). You will know you are in the right church when you feel loved and hear the truth straight from the Bible. Another good sign is a praising church. Remember praise brings on the presence of God. And when God’s people get together and praise, God really shows up (Psalm 22:3).


Above all, know that everything you do now is about developing a relationship with a loving, holy God who wants to answer your prayers and your questions. Don’t worry about what to say in your prayers. Just talk. Thank Him for what you need and then just sit quietly before Him. He loves it when we take the time to just fellowship.

Start reading a translation of the Bible that you can understand. You can go to www.blueletterbible.com and type in “John 1” in the New Living translation or New King James version to get started. Psalms 139, Psalms 34, as well as Proverbs 3 will also be a treat for you. Consider buying the New King James version of the Bible. It also helps to put a post it note on the table of contents page in your bible so you won’t get lost in bible study or church.

Finally, when you accept Christ you become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). People you used to hang out with may have a new attitude about you. Don’t worry about it. Keep your focus on pleasing God; know that He loves you unconditionally and that He will never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

Enjoy life to the fullest and next time you visit our web site you will be able to say, Yes, I am living the abundant life in Christ.

God Bless,

Minister Teirrah McNair